President Obama's speech to students

At noon on Tuesday, Sept. 8, President Barack Obama will deliver a “Back-to-School Address” to students across our nation. This 15-20 minute speech will be broadcast via the internet and on C-Span.

Because the time of the speech conflicts with our school lunch schedules, Newton County Schools will not broadcast the speech that day. Instead, the president’s speech will be shown on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Each school will select its own viewing schedule.

The script to Obama’s speech will be posted on the Newton County School System Web site as soon as it is released so parents may review it in advance. The school system will also post a link to the video of Obama’s speech for easy access when it becomes available.

In his speech, the president is expected to challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning. Our school system’s “Be There” parent involvement program supports these same principles.

Should you wish to have your student view the speech on the day it is delivered, you may do so by tuning into C-Span or viewing it online at the White House Web site.If you need additional information about your student’s participation in this activity, please contact your principal for more information.